Louisa Cornell, ladydawgfan, KateS and Kelly Ryan are the winners of Fun Contest Saturday!
Lori Austin's (aka Lori Handeland) An Outlaw in Wonderland has been named one of Publisher Weekly's Best Summer Books of 2013!!
A big CONGRATULATIONS to Goddesses Lori Austin (Lori Handeland) and Sabrina Jeffries for being named as RITA finalists for their historical romances BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER and A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS!
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This won’t be long—I’m afraid I still don’t really have much of a brain. So little brain, in fact, that I forgot I was supposed to blog, so it’s Thursday night and I’m sitting in the breeze blowing through my window, thinking about what will be fun for you.
But maybe what’s fun for me is to tell you about my big night last Saturday, when I was inducted into the Romance Writers Hall of Fame. It takes three RITAs in a single category to make the HoF, and although I had six before this conference, they were scattered across four categories—two in category contemporary, one in historical, one single title contemporary and two in Novel With Romantic Elements.
On Saturday night, How To Bake A Perfect Life won the RITA for Novel With Romantic Elements, giving me the three needed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It is a huge honor, and I cried when everyone stood up to clap, but mainly I was thinking about the 12-year-old I had been, who wanted to be a writer even though she had no idea that happened. She was twirling around beside me, on the stage, wearing a glittery purple tiara and fishnet stockings and a green and purple sequined tutu, a magic wand in her hand.
The thing is, writing romances has given me a life I never thought I’d have. I wanted it, but it seemed as unobtainable as growing up to be a “movie star” or something. Weird, outside the realm of what everyday people did. My grandfather was a mechanic. My father sold motorcycles. Hardly anyone in our world even went to college.
Luckily, I was born into a crazy family of creatives. My mother is—by far—the smartest person I have ever met, only slightly equaled by my son the supreme court clerk. She pushed me, made me brave, read my writing, made me work harder.
And there were teachers (thank you) who told me I was smart and could probably get money for college, and teachers who read my writing aloud to classes and made me think it maybe wasn’t just my mom who thought I was pretty good at writing.
Somehow, I made it through college, working two jobs and any number of internships and discovered I didn’t actually want to write newspaper articles, but I wanted to write NOVELS. I found Romantic Times, which helped me figure out how to submit books to Silhouette.
The day I first sold was similar to the feeling I had the night of the RITA awards: can this really be happening to me? Can I really have just sold an actual, real live book? I felt like Cinderella, but the prince was the career that I had dreamed of since the age of 12.
Looking out into that crowd, I thought about how many of us have found our dreams through RWA, finding friends and critique groups and advice and classes, giving each other permission to be writers, tell our stories, just the way we want to tell them. How fantastic is that?
I am in love with this career, and it is so much more than I ever expected—it has given me the means to travel the world, and to meet thousands and thousands of interesting people, and form deep friendships and be unapologetically who I am. It’s also just plain fun. And I think of Carlyle, who said, “Let he who has found his work ask no other blessedness.”
Okay, so maybe there was more in there than I knew. Tell me about dreams you had that you fulfilled, or dreams that are still burning within you. How have dreams guided your life?
51 Comments on “Home Again, Home Again, Lickety-Split”
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That is amazing news. Congratulations!!!
Hmmmm…hard to say. I have a different goal structure then most, comes from having a major car accident when you’re 21.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 5:31 am.
That’s a big trauma, for sure. You must have poured a lot of energy into healing.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:30 am.
As a child I wanted to be a Blue Nurse (takes care of people at home who are unable to care for themselves medically). This dream evolved to wanting to be a minister (I still want to do a degree in Theology at some point) who was also a 5 star general. This then evolved into wanting to get my doctorate in Psychology specialising in Child Abuse (but the statistics component killed me, I am not made for anything other than basic maths). I still want to work with abused children but I have figured out another way that I can do this by switching to a Human Services degree majoring in Child and Families and if I am particularly determined then I can go on to do post grad studies and eventually gain my doctorate (yep I really want that doctorate). Somewhere along the lines I want to be also a wife and a mother (New Guy and I are working on the latter and the former will most likely happen when he is ready).
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 5:59 am.
Interesting on the leanings toward theology, Kelly. I used to think about that, too, but it would require being with people way too much for this lone wolf.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:31 am.
Like you writing has always been my dream. Actually my only dream. Not published yet but that hasn’t stopped me from writing. It is the air that I breath. It fulfills me emotionally. Even if I never have a book published I will always write. Congrats on winning the Rita and been inducted into the Hall of Fame. It is very well deserved. You are one of the very few writers who I have read just about every book you have written no matter if it has been a been a contemporary or a historical or anything in between.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 7:01 am.
You are an inspiration, Aida, for sticking with your dream. Don’t give up the idea of publication–sometimes it takes awhile.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:33 am.
Congratulations on your wonderful accomplishment! Now that you’ve put it in context, apparently it’s even more meaningful than I previously thought.
And now I’m going to have Brandi Carlisle’s Dreams stuck in my head all day.
My dream: to one day in my life live in a house you can walk around on all four sides and still stay on my property.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 7:18 am.
That’s lovely, Fresh. All four sides!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:33 am.
Lovely blog, Barbara. Thank you.
I was so excited for you Saturday; you looked so happy.
Same dream for me. And I am like you, I still stand there sometimes and think “Wow, this is what I always wanted.” I used to read every article on authors I could find. It was fascinating to me to hear about their daily lives. I had no idea how to go about being a writer. Then while I was in grad school I found a book by Kathryn Falk about just that thing.
That dream has guided my life ever since. Love the Carlyle quote.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 7:34 am.
I love it that you found your way to romances through Kathryn Falk, too! I also read obsessively the stories of writers.
So lucky!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:34 am.
Congratulations! I am very happy for you.
My dreams started in 2nd grade when I wanted to be a teacher just like the one I had. She was wonderful. Then in high school it morphed into being a lawyer. That took me to college where I wanted to be a political speechwriter. I always wanted to be a mom and that happened for me right after college and it’s everything I hoped it would be. Through all of it I have wanted to be a writer. I journal like crazy, wrote bad poetry that got published in the high school literary magazine, and have written a few short stories. I am working on my first novel while I’m back in school for a creative writing English degree. Hopefully that’ll give me the tools I need to be successful. This is my super secret (until recently) uber dream. I’ve wanted it since I was a girl just like you and I am finally in a position to chase it.
Congratualtions again, what an incredible accomplishment!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 8:46 am.
Hooray, Liz, for embracing and announcing your dream! It really is a wonderful life (and goes along so well with children!).
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:38 am.
Congrats on living your dream!! and sounds like you’ve had lots of people believing in you all along the way!!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:04 am.
I don’t think anyone achieves a dream without a lot of help, which is probably a good reason for us all to be supportive of others.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:39 am.
I had a dream to one day work with flowers, trees, and shrubs. I accomplished that dream and for the last seven years that is what I have done. Unfortunately two weeks ago I was laid off. I am a true believer in things happening for a reason. I just believe it is my time to do something different.
A couple of years ago I realized I had another passion in me for writing. I had always like to write but never took the time to do it steadily. So I started writing a novel just to see if I could do it. I would work on it a little every night. After a while I realized I wasn’t just doing it for fun. It had become a need. Now I am near the half way point of book number two. I have proven to myself that I can do it and I love it. I have taken a few classes and continue to try and better myself. Who knows, maybe one day I will get published! If I don’t my heart will hurt a little, but I have proven some things to myself, and realized I have a burning desire to write.
I cannot tell you how happy I was to see you had won another RITA, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. I actually got a tear in my eye! What a great accomplishment, Barbara. Congratulations!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:14 am.
Oh, Kelly, I’m sorry you were laid off. Hope you find a new job soon!
Sounds like you have a new dream well underway, however. Day by day. Day by day.
Thanks for the tear! I’m touched.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:41 am.
Congrats on your win… What a wonderful acheivment for you..
As to dreams.. well one of mine may come true yet.. I have never owned my own home, and I hope one day to be a property owner before I leave this world.. A home that I hope to design from the ground up… I know exactly how I want each room and all the landscaping to be done.. Lofty dream, but I hope one that come true before I leave this world..
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:28 am.
I believe you might as well dream big. Keep visualizing that beautiful home.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:42 am.
Wonderful blog, Barbara! Many congrats to you on such a wonderful honor. Have you decided how to display all your RITA’s and HoF hardware. Seems like you should have a replica of the statue made in to a garden sculpture.
)
Dreams are a funny thing–mine tend to be a moving target. When I graduated from High School, I had my mind set on going to ISU and graduating with an ag journalism degree. I wanted to be the editor for publications like Wallace’s Farmer. It took one semester working for the Daily to convince me that dream was not well thought out–HATED print journalism. NOT for me. I stuck with JLMC, but went more toward the PR side, and kept up with my ag classes. I ended up being hired at ISU’s conference department to help plan the ag conferences that came to Ames–am still in this industry. I love it, but a part of me still wants to move back to the family farm and put those hort classes to use and start a vineyard and public garden. We’ll see…
Many congrats to you again! I hope you take the time to soak up the accolades–you deserve them!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:30 am.
That would be so adorable, a sculpture. Christopher Robin would say no way.
I’m with you–hated the print side.
And a vineyard would be so terrific!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:45 am.
Huge congrats to you! What an accomplishment to win three Ritas and a place in HoF!
My dream is to be able to live abroad a year in the future.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:36 am.
Oooh, a year abroad would be delightful!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:45 am.
I’m so glad you blogged about this! It’s such a huge honor to be a RWA hall of famer. Congrats, Barbara. It’s thrilling to be able to share your joy.
At age 12, the writing fire was lit, and I have been burning ever since. What is it about the age of 12 (besides the obvious stuff)?
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:11 am.
I wonder about that, too. Why 12?
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:28 pm.
Lovely post, Barbara, and mega-congratulations on your RITA nod, on your induction into the RWA Hall of Fame, and especially on living your dream!!!!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:07 am.
Thanks, Susan!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:28 pm.
Congratulations on winning the RITA and entering the Hall of Fame. I have/had small dreams. My major wish was for my special needs son to outgrow seizures and be normal. That isn’t going to happen so I settled for making him as independent as possible. Some days are better than others. I also wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. We became crew members for balloonists. I’ve had more than one ride…free.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:37 am.
Independence is a huge accomplishment with a special needs child, Sandi. Very worthwhile (and hard work)!
I have dared myself to go up in a hot air balloon a zillion times, but I’m really frightened and don’t know that I’ll make it happen. I’ve thought about giving that to CR as a present, too, and haven’t done that either! I’m so impressed.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:31 pm.
“How to Bake a Perfect Life” is the first book of yours that I ever read, Barbara. I won it in a Goddess Blogs contest last year. I almost never read first person, present tense novels, and I don’t read many contemporaries either, so I didn’t think I would like it. But it was there, and you seemed so nice on TGB that I decided to give it a try.
It was one of the best books that I read last year. I have gone on to read at least a dozen of your books, and I enjoyed them all. “How to Bake a Perfect Life” remains my favorite. I will treasure that signed copy for so many years.
Congratulations on your RITA and your Hall of Fame induction. You deserve it. You are very talented (and kind, generous, and funny). I look forward to the novels you will write in the many years to come. <3
As for me… I spent most of my childhood and teenage years wanting to be an artist of some kind. I wanted to be an animator and work on animated films (specifically for Disney) when I was in elementary and middle school, and then in high school the dream morphed to general illustration – book cover art, interior illustrations for children's books, magazines, etc.
Alas, I gave up that dream a long time ago. In fact, I almost never do art anymore, even though it used to be my greatest passion. One of the biggest tragedies of my life, probably – that I lost not only that dream, but even the desire to draw and paint with any regularity.
Instead, I maintain the computers at a public library for a living. I like it, love my co-workers, and am happy with my work. But sometimes I wonder what would have happened if my life had been different when I first left for college.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:41 am.
Aw, Monica, I’m so touched by your words. Thank you so much!
And perhaps, my friend, it would be fun to take an art class of some kind now. Something easy, fun, sweet? Just to play.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:33 pm.
You are so welcome. <3 I'm happy to give them.
And perhaps, but I would have to find someplace around here that offered them. There's an artsy community down by one of the lakes, but they are very insular, not welcoming of outsiders at all.
I take solace in various kinds of crafting. I still make things, just not paintings and drawings.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 6:23 pm.
Beautiful blog, Barbara. Many congratulations on you HOF win and your RITAs. There are sure to be more in your future.
When I was sixteen I wanted to venture into the world of computers. At that time it was a man’s world and finding training was difficult. After some college and night classes I thought might be helpful, I got a job as a programmer and embarked on a career I loved. Luckily my skills evolved and I found a niche that enabled me to move along rapidly in the field. Eventually, I taught computer network operating systems and loved every minute. After a hiatus where I became COO of my late husband’s shoe company, I started a second career as a pharmacy tech. I worked at that until I retired and enjoyed it as well.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:08 pm.
Wow, you were a computer programmer? That’s amazing. Especially when it was such a man’s world.
I’ve often thought pharmacy work/study would be very interesting.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:34 pm.
Congratulations! What an amazing accomplishment!
My dreams have changed over time. Back in high school I wanted to be a dr. But in college I didn’t get chemistry and realized that I didn’t want to be in school forever. History was a very easy major for me – near photographic memory, and I love to do research.
When my dh and I got together in college, and as it got more serious, I realized that I’d be the one making a big choice because of his career. While I never planned on being a SAHM, it’s turned out the best for everyone. I was blessed with determined, intelligent children, who need a TON of structure. In the process I’ve become a better person and learned so much about myself.
I would have never discovered jewelry making if it weren’t for my daughter and her love of bling as a toddler. It started out as just stringing beads, but I’ve gained a variety of skills from wirewrapping to soldering to using and firing metal clays. I love it. I necessarily don’t want to be in Sundance catalog because I like the idea of having a one of a kind piece, but it’s gotten to the point where I need and want to sell my pieces. I’m at a place in my life where I can get serious about selling it. Next week I’ve already decided that I’m going to be taking pictures to list stuff on etsy once school starts August 28th. I’m in the process of deciding what my schedule will be, so I don’t waste time or over volunteer at school. I plan on visiting a local boutique that sells local artists’ jewelry, too.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:16 pm.
That’s WONDERFUL, Janae! I have two friends who are jewelry makers and one of them makes a pretty good income through her work, so it’s quite possible. Good for you!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:35 pm.
Congratulations again, Barbara! It was awesome to be there and see you win.
When I graduated from high school, I already knew I was going to be a writer. My parents gave me a Shel Silverstein book. On the first page, above the first poem, my mom wrote “To Suzie”. This is the poem:
“If you are a dreamer,come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!”
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:34 pm.
Your mom rocks, Suzie.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:32 pm.
I am in awe of your achievement, Barbara!
I have had many dreams in life and many I have been fortunate enough to make happen – then I come up with a new dream. It has been a lovely adventure so far. I have even had dreams come true that I didn’t even know I had. Even through the bad times, I still dream which helps me get through to the next good phase.
I have a few more semi short term dreams I am working toward. Keeps things interesting.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 1:17 pm.
It’s nice to have a lot of different dreams, playing around, surging up, then taking naps.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:30 pm.
Just wanted to say congratulations to our newest RITA Goddess! Such a wonderful representation of a great career, Barbara.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 1:49 pm.
Thank you.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:29 pm.
Congratulations, Barbara. I’ve been reading your books since I was 12 so we’ve come full circle.
I’m so proud and happy for you and me, too, because I still get to read your books. Rock on, sister!!
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:23 pm.
Laughing, Tee. Thanks so much. It was a great night, for sure.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:29 pm.
Congratulations again on your win! As someone who read and thoroughly enjoyed The Garden of Happy Endings, I feel it’s well-deserved.
You and I must be sisters under the skin, because *I* determined at 12 that I wanted to be a writer. I also took a Newspaper Writing class in college, which is when I too decided that I was definitely not a journalist. I stand by that decision. Nonfiction is not my forte. I want plots! Characters! Crazy stuff happening! Swoon-worthy guys!
So I’m definitely doing my dream job. How lucky are we?
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 3:24 pm.
We are definitely sisters under the skin, Sabrina.
And we are SO lucky! I think about that every single day. Lucky, lucky, lucky.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:41 pm.
Barbara, Congratulations on your award,as Cinderella sang,”a dream is a wish your heart makes” seems yours came true. I loved The Garden of Happy Endings, it was a referral from a friend, who will now be held in awe for introducing me. I so loved it, that it was my choice for Book Club this month. Thank you. You have such a lovely turn of the word.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 5:14 pm.
Mari, thank you! I’m so delighted that you found Garden compelling enough to make it your book club pick.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:42 pm.
It was such a treat to see you get your Ritas in Anaheim!! Your career is an inspiration to those of us who are still waiting for the call!
My first dream was to become a romance writer. Started when I was 9 years old and wrote the most AWFUL western historical romance every written! At about the same time I won a singing contest and writing was put on the back burner while I trained and worked for my career as an opera singer. It took much longer than I realized it would, but at the age of 29 I debuted as the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute in Salzburg, Austria. And in spite of all of the things I gave up and all of the things I had to do it was absolutely worth it. My voice took me all over the world and allowed me to participate in some amazing performances.
My new dream is actually my original dream. And I’m not there yet, but I am on my way. AND the best part is meeting all of my writing friends and romance reading friends along the way.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 6:15 pm.
Louisa, I love it that you wrote your first novel at age nine, AND that you sang Mozart on a stage in Salzburg. What a thrill that must have been! (I often say that I will be a musician in my next life.)
Now that you know how to suceed in one creative career, you know how to make it happen for the next, so bravo. Can’t wait to see what you do.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:45 pm.
That is so wonderful Barbara. What a true blessing. My most recent accomplish was moving into my dream home 3 years ago. I now live 5 minutes from my 3 sisters & 7 minutes from my mom. I live in a 1 level garden home, 2 car garage, & with a smaller yard that is easier for me to maintain. I no longer go up & down the interstate going to work. And, I enjoy my job as a departmental secretary & assistant to executive education director. I am very blessed. Have a great weekend.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:38 pm.
Ginger, as you will see in the comments, your achievement is very high on the lists of many people. Congratulations to you! That’s a huge achievement.
Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:46 pm.